Dec. 27, 2012

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A former Loveland police officer accused of secretly recording and posting to the Internet videos of a showering woman hasn’t yet entered a plea as he waits for electronic discovery to be released.

Rodney Bretches, 48, who is free on $10,000 bond, appeared in 8th Judicial District Court on Thursday, when his lawyer asked for more time to work with technology experts and prosecutors to get computer evidence released. Bretches resigned from Loveland Police Department after the charges were filed in May.

He was arrested by his then-employer on the misdemeanor sexual contact by a peeping Tom charge as well as a felony charge of child pornography possession. The investigation began last month after an unidentified person showed the woman a still from one of multiple videos of her showering. The ensuing search warrant resulted in police taking computers and media, later finding the child pornography on Bretches’ computer, according to Bretches’ arrest affidavit.

The secret video recordings are believed to have occurred between June 2011 and September 2011.

Denver attorney Jonathan Willett, who is representing Bretches, declined to comment on the case after court Thursday. Bretches’ next court hearing is set for 3 p.m. Jan. 15.

As an officer, Bretches has worked as a canine handler with police dog Rocco. He and Rocco received an award, along with the rest of the canine unit, in 2007. Bretches also was recognized in 2006 with a certificate of merit, according to the department’s annual reports.

Bretches’ only other crime record in Colorado is a traffic citation in 1985, according to state records.